A Belfast man accused of an “horrific attack" on a woman and her daughter in their home must remain in custody, a High Court judge ruled today.

Mark McCormack was refused bail amid claims he wrecked the house, throttled one victim and hit her with a perfume bottle before throwing the teenage girl when she tried to intervene.

Prosecutors alleged he also threatened to burn the bloodstained property in West Belfast and told the woman: “I’ll bury you.”

McCormack, 31, of Cliftonpark Avenue in the city, claims to have little memory of the alleged incident on June 8 due to possible cocaine use.

He faces nine charges, including possession of an offensive weapon, criminal damage, assault occasioning actual bodily harm, common assault, theft of a handbag and threats to damage property.

McCormack allegedly went to the house in the early hours and grabbed the woman by the throat until she couldn’t breathe. Conor Maguire, prosecuting, told the court: “She said she thought she was going to die.”

It was claimed that the accused then followed her upstairs and threw a bottle of perfume at her, inflicting a head laceration requiring three stitches. She also sustained bruising to her throat and shoulders, and cuts to her arm and finger.

Her daughter was allegedly thrown against an ironing board when she attempted to intervene. As McCormack left, according to the prosecution, he stated: “See you later slut”, before adding: “I’ll bury you... I’m going to burn this house.”

Setting out the damage to the house, Mr Maguire said there were bloodstains throughout the property. A lounge window was smashed, ornaments and an electricity box broken, a living room door was pulled off its hinges and holes punched in the walls of two rooms.

McCormack had to be taken to hospital following arrest for treatment to a broken bone in his hand and cuts to a finger, the court heard. Mr Maguire claimed the accused was on his way back to the house when he was detained.

Dennis Boyd, defending, said his client had been drinking at his flat and may have taken cocaine.

He added: “He doesn’t remember very much about what happened, he says most of it was a complete blur to him. He’s very, very remorseful and sorry for the whole matter.”

But denying bail, Mr Justice Treacy said no explanation had been provided for an incident which left the mother and daughter “terrorised”.

The judge added: “This was an horrific (alleged) attack on two women in the early hours of the morning.”